Police Release Murfreesboro Crime Stats for 2013

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- For the second year in a row Murfreesboro Police are reporting a drop in crime.

In a report released yesterday, the MPD reports a two percent drop in crime last year over 2012.

The report shows there were three homicides committed in 2013, down one from the previous year. There were also significant declines in the number of reported rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries and vehicle thefts.

Larceny, or theft of property by force or fraud, was up seven percent. Most troubling, the number of arson reports climbed from 3 in 2012 to 9 in 2013.

Kyle Evans is the MPD spokesman.

“In most of those cases they involved juveniles setting fire to objects. One included an actual school building and one included a basketball court. So juvenile crimes account for some of those numbers in that increase. It’s my understanding that the Fire Marshall’s office has made several arrests in those cases.”

The MPD notes that its 300 plus officers and support staff responded to just under 102,000 calls for assistance in 2013.